Optio RZ18 - Overview

The Optio RZ18 is the latest addition to the popular PENTAX Optio RZ series, which features a high-magnification zoom lens in a compact body. It provides photographers with simple, effortless shooting of a wide variety of subjects and occasions. From travel and landscape to action and spectator sports the RZ18 retains many of the convenient features of its predecessors — including the dependable dual shake reduction for effective reduction of camera shake, and the advanced Auto Picture. The very wide-angle smc PENTAX 18X optical zoom lens to greatly extend the zoom range. The number of effective pixels has also been increased to 16 megapixels to deliver higher-resolution images, while the built-in LCD monitor has also been upgraded to a larger 3.0-inch version with 460,000 dots for sharper, clearer subject image. Thanks to the perfect harmony of existing and new features, the Optio RZ18 offers both higher performance and simpler operation than ever before.

Major features :

18X optical zoom lens with 25mm wide-angle coverage to handle a variety of subjects and scenes

Within its slim, lightweight body, the Optio RZ18 incorporates a high-performance, extra-powerful 18X optical zoom lens covering focal lengths from 25mm wide angle to 450mm super-telephoto (in the 35mm format). Thanks to this extra-wide zoom range, the Optio RZ18 can capture beautiful, lively pictures in a wide range of subjects and scenes — from spectacular landscapes to fast-action sports events. It also offers other advanced features, including: high-quality macro shooting down to just four centimeters from the subject. The digital wide function for an ultra-wide-angle image (equivalent to an image taken with an approximately 19mm lens in the 35mm format) from two separate images. Use the Digital Panorama mode effortlessly create a single panoramic picture from as many as three images.

Thanks to the combination of approximately 16 effective megapixels, a high-performance smc PENTAX zoom lens and the advanced image processing system — a system that uses the latest super-resolution technology to optimize image quality through meticulous section-by-section treatment of the captured image — the Optio RZ18 delivers well-defined, high-quality images with extra-fine resolution. Even when images are enlarged to large sizes, the user is assured of sharp, high-resolution prints with edge-to-edge sharpness.

Dual shake reduction for sharp, blur-free images.

By combining a CCD-shift-type SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism with a Pixel Track SR, the Optio RZ18’s dual shake reduction effectively reduces annoying camera shake to a minimum. Thanks to this dependable system, the photographer is assured of sharp, blur-free images, even under shake-prone shooting conditions, such as when using a telephoto lens, or when shooting a sunset or indoor scene.

Automatic selection of the most appropriate shooting mode

The Optio RZ18 features the PENTAX-original Auto Picture mode, which automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode for a given subject or scene by accurately assessing various photographic conditions on and around the subject. Since this user-friendly mode instantly and unfailingly selects one of 16 shooting modes (including Blue Sky, Sunset and Pet) and optimizes various camera settings (including sensitivity and shutter speed), the photographer is always assured of the best results with minimal effort.